School update

So it's been a while since I've posted anything about N's school, but we are still loving every minute of it.  N just adores his teachers and still runs right in every time.  Several of you have asked me if he's picked up a British accent at all, and he hasn't really, but he has picked up some of the different terms they use.  We talk a lot about "bits".  "Mama, can I have that bit?"  And we wear "Wellies" not boots.  When he makes cookies at school, he calls them "biscuits" but, at home he still makes "cookies!"  He has actually asked me to make him a "tart" before.... umm, I'm not sure I know how to make a tart!

I've also gotten a chance to volunteer in his classroom a couple of times, and what struck me most was that N doesn't talk!  Like at all!  I think he said like two words the entire time he was in class.  He gets right in and plays with the other kids, joins in all the group activities, and sits down right next to his teacher to read... but seriously, he doesn't talk... at all.  Ummmm, whose kid is this again?  Did I bring the right child home from the hospital... because I don't remember ever not talking in school!

I have noticed that N rarely participates in the craft projects at his class, I have never seen any painting or drawing come home, which doesn't surprise me, because he's not the craftiest kid at home either.  However, he does really seem to like gluing.  So most of his projects involve glue and glitter.  Here is the hat and airplane he created.  

All the other kids in his class made puppets, and when I asked him if he made a puppet too, he responded very emphatically, "No, I made an airplane!"  And he did, we had to take it home that day, he wasn't leaving without it.  His teacher said he was very particular about what pieces to glue on to get it just right.  And that gray bit in the middle, that's him, the pilot.  He drew that himself!  The funniest part is that on the back the teacher wrote "aeroplane" so we would know what it is.  Ah British spellings.

Then last Friday the activity was designed for N.  (They do that, they design activities specific for each student... love it!)  He is totally into cooking right now.  The cooking days at school are by far his favorite, and he loves to sit on the counter and help me cook at home.  So his teacher designed an activity involving cooking and airplanes, just for N.  He was thrilled.  Here is his airplane cookie that he made.  Notice the pilot and the steering wheel.  

I know you're all shocked that he is totally obsessed with airplanes right now.  Apparently one day he corrected his teacher when she called a prop airplane a jet.  Gotta get that right now, come on!

Little e is also going to the same school, just two mornings a week.  At first he hated it, the mere mention of school would send him crying, "No e-i school!"  After about a month of that, he woke up and said, "I no cry at school today."  And he didn't.  And hasn't since.  He still tells me most mornings, "I no cry at school."  He literally runs right in and onto the lap of one of his teacher.  He loves her.  The mere mention of her name brings a huge smile to his face.  When I go to pick him up, he'll run up to me and say, "I had good day mama!"  What a sweetie.  When he started to warm up to his teachers, one of them made a comment that they were surprised how talkative he is.  Yup, I have one that talks nonstop and one that doesn't say anything!

The farm on their school is really coming to life with spring, and on Monday little e saw several chicks hatch from eggs.  His teacher said he was really fascinated with it and watched intently for quite some time.  I saw some hatching too, and I will say, I could have sat there for hours!  I had no idea it took so long for the chicks to crack their way out, and that they were so big!  N is really into the worms.  They have a wormery on the farm, and this is N's most talked about spot out there.  He even wiggles like a worm to show me how they move.  Too cute.

Framlingham Castle

I know, you're kind of tired of reading them, I'm sort of tired of posting them, but it's yet another castle post.  This Saturday we headed a fairly small castle about an hour away.  It was really neat.  

Framlingham was built in the 12th century, and it's claim to fame is that it is where Henry VIII's daughter, Mary, sat to wait and hear if she would be the Queen of England, or if she was going to have to fight for it.  (The problem was she was a girl, and she was Catholic, not a great combo to claim the throne with in those days.)  In the end, she didn't have to put up a fight... and became Queen Mary (Bloody Mary.)  It's interesting, succession to the throne wasn't as straightforward as you might think!  Can you tell I'm working really hard at getting my British history straight?  

Here we are headed into the castle.  (Notice the weather throughout these pictures... welcome to England where a nice day can turn bad in an instant!)

The outside of the castle.  Interestingly, this castle had no keep, just the ring wall, moat and defense towers with a great hall and chapel inside.

Inside the castle walls, playing on the giant chess board in the courtyard.  He's just so cute!  It was fun to let the boys run around on the grass while we learned a little more about the castle.

We walked around the top of the walls and looked down into the court below.  Take a look at all those chimneys sticking up from the top.  Those weren't original, and were added in the Tudor period to give the impression of wealth... lots of fireplaces.  In reality, only about three were attached to working fireplaces, the rest were just for looks!  Tudor faux finishing!

Headed out for some lunch in the village... N is modeling his "I'm too cool for this castle" look.

Quite the little trip!

N's imagination has been in overdrive lately and we have been playing some really fun role play games.  Yesterday he took little e and I on quite the trip!

First we got into the car (the couch) we had to pretend to open the door, climb inside, close the door and then put our seat belts on "click"!  Then we backed out of our parking space, (complete with "beep beep" sounds... I knew the van was big, but did it really warrant reverse beeping?!)  Then drove to, where else, the airport, complete with all three of us steering!  Then N opened the door for us, we all climbed out, closed the door, and then for security, N locked it.  (This cracked me up because he pretended to use the keyless entry to lock it... not the key!  "Beep" and the van was locked!)  We then went into the airport (the stairs) and got onto our airplane (the upstairs hallway.)  N was the pilot so he sat in front and little e and I sat behind him.  Being the thoughtful little guy that he is, even gave little e and I toys to play with on the airplane!

Then we "pushed back" (more beeping) and I asked if we were on the taxiway.  N responded, "No, we're on the ramp!"  Oh, I see.  "Now we're on the taxiway mommy... now we're on the runway, we're taking off!  We're flying!"  (He gets more excited with each step!)

"We're coming in for a landing, we're on the runway, we're on the taxiway, we're in our parking spot!"  Through all of this he has been pretend flying with his hands on the pretend yoke.  I asked him once if his wings were out and he said, "No mommy, I'm not the airplane, I'm the pilot!"  Oh sorry, my mistake!  I also asked him where we were flying too, and he responded "Heathrow to see Mickey Mouse!"  Ah, it's all so clear now.

Once we got to 'Heathrow' we got off the plane and went back downstairs to where Mickey Mouse was hiding out (the playroom.)  After spending a little time with Mickey, who apparently was on one corner, and all his friends, who were in another corner, we reboarded the airplane and flew back home.  Somewhere along the line little e got bored with the game and decided to stay and hang out with Mickey Mouse!  At first N was concerned that we were leaving little brother behind, but he got over that pretty quickly... hmmmm.  It was really fun. 

He played this same game with E this weekend, and tonight he walked around on all fours roaring because he was a dinosaur for the evening.  It's just such a fun new phase, and we all love to join in!